Wunderlich declaiming man as the crowning point of all creation is one of the great thrills in all of recorded music. There has never been a better "Schopfung". It is a "Reference" indeed!
A cast that can't be bettered and Karajan drives it forward with real clarity. The best The Heavens are telling ever! Great syncopation from the strings. It never gets boring.
A most significant work, and one very close to my heart. Of course for the Anglophone record buyer there is room for a Reference Recording of Haydn's Creation in English. In that case, I suspect that Hogwood on Decca would make a reasonable candidate, but as it goes my favourite is in German, but would never be a reference in the sense that it was too old, recorded in mono, on Vanguard. Mogens Woldike and the forces of the Vienna State Opera. It is utterly grand and powerful, and terribly well done, and the chorus and soloists are superb, while the orchestra is fascinatingly good with forward winds and beautiful balances. This piece was what I played at my last professional concert playing the bass, with the Birmingham Festival Chorus in the Adrian Boult Hall in Birmingham. I was given the honour of playing the bass part in "Great Whales" as a solo bassist in spite of not leading the section! The section leader liked my playing and timbre, and he turned the pages! That was in November 1999. Best wishes from George in Herefordshire.
I'm so glad that Karajan interpretation of Creation from Haydn is so relevant. This was my first Creation, and I love it very much. Even try to convince a friend of mine, an opera singer, that he underestimates Haydn. Also, love Hogwood. And Dorati.
Thank you for this. I have the Hogwood recording as I had to study the Creation as part of my university studies into European Humanities and always thought it was superb, However, after watching your video, I managed to get a copy of the Karajan BPO recording and agree it's truly brilliant. It brings this music to life with a certain punch that is both thrilling and inspirational.
tremendous tremendous recording. deserving of reference recording status for sure; very hard to beat. If I had to give a vote for second place, it’s definitely to the Christopher Hogwood recording with Emma Kirkby & Anthony Rolfe Johnson. The use of period instruments is also a nice touch.
Seeing this video was up, I pulled out the recording, which I have not heard in years. Karajan at his peak, consistently excellent soloists and chorus, and the recorded sound vastly better than his remake. A classic.
My first Creation was, surprisingly enough, Doráti's. For some reason it was available in the Hungarian shop in Prague even in the communist time... I believe it was quite good, too...
I would love to see a video on the Nelson Mass. My guess is that Pinnock is the reference, but I would be curious to know your impressions of earlier recordings-e.g., the Willcocks from '62, Ferencsik on DG in (I think?) '67, Bernstein.
It seems any recording that included Fritz Wunderlich automatically had a leg up for becoming the reference recording. I know that's a wild overstatement, so don't bother correcting me. 😆 Which raises my question: Bohm's recording of Wozzeck on DGG: reference?
My favorite recording of Smetana's Bartered Bride, if not a reference, is Wunderlich's on EMI even if it is a "Verkaufte Braut" and not a "Prodana Nevesta."
@@francescofurlan3098 No question that Szell was a great Haydn interpreter. He was one of those rare conductors who understood the difference between Haydn and Mozart and did both superbly.
I'm very fond of the Colin Davis one in English. We're it not for the fact that he makes too many cuts, I'd also say the Beecham. But not as a reference. I'm not sure it has one. On period instruments, the Rene Jacobs set is a stunner.
Why do you keep repeating this bizarre claim that Karajan didn't like choruses? True, his choral repertoire wasn't huge, but when it comes to his 4 signature choral works - Mozart, Verdi & Brahms requiems and the Missa Solemnis he kept doing them over and over again both in studio and live throughout his entire career (and the list of choral works he's done at least once in studio is not inconsiderable either). It would be a pretty strange thing to do for someone who hated the chorus, don't you think?
@DavesClassicalGuide I don't think "the evidence is plainly audible..." is a particularly valid response, because if someone disagrees, that in itself suggests that "the evidence" is merely subjectively "audible". I think a little more precision is required than a retort that amounts to little more than 'use your ears and you'll see I'm right.'
I am always disappointed by Karajan in Mozart, except in the operas--including his late Giovanni where his conducting seems dramatic and responsive. Maybe he was in operatic rather than religious mode for this. It has a lot of the same punch.
Wunderlich declaiming man as the crowning point of all creation is one of the great thrills in all of recorded music. There has never been a better "Schopfung". It is a "Reference" indeed!
A cast that can't be bettered and Karajan drives it forward with real clarity. The best The Heavens are telling ever! Great syncopation from the strings. It never gets boring.
A most significant work, and one very close to my heart.
Of course for the Anglophone record buyer there is room for a Reference Recording of Haydn's Creation in English.
In that case, I suspect that Hogwood on Decca would make a reasonable candidate, but as it goes my favourite is in German, but would never be a reference in the sense that it was too old, recorded in mono, on Vanguard. Mogens Woldike and the forces of the Vienna State Opera. It is utterly grand and powerful, and terribly well done, and the chorus and soloists are superb, while the orchestra is fascinatingly good with forward winds and beautiful balances.
This piece was what I played at my last professional concert playing the bass, with the Birmingham Festival Chorus in the Adrian Boult Hall in Birmingham. I was given the honour of playing the bass part in "Great Whales" as a solo bassist in spite of not leading the section! The section leader liked my playing and timbre, and he turned the pages! That was in November 1999.
Best wishes from George in Herefordshire.
I love the Markevitch recording from 1957
I'm so glad that Karajan interpretation of Creation from Haydn is so relevant. This was my first Creation, and I love it very much. Even try to convince a friend of mine, an opera singer, that he underestimates Haydn. Also, love Hogwood. And Dorati.
I predicted this one so I’m feeling quite pleased with myself. However, my favourite is the Dorati. Lucia Pop is the glorious soprano soloist.
YAY! I have that one. I still listen to it.
Thank you for this. I have the Hogwood recording as I had to study the Creation as part of my university studies into European Humanities and always thought it was superb, However, after watching your video, I managed to get a copy of the Karajan BPO recording and agree it's truly brilliant. It brings this music to life with a certain punch that is both thrilling and inspirational.
tremendous tremendous recording. deserving of reference recording status for sure; very hard to beat. If I had to give a vote for second place, it’s definitely to the Christopher Hogwood recording with Emma Kirkby & Anthony Rolfe Johnson. The use of period instruments is also a nice touch.
My favorite is actually the first Bernstein which is so theatrical, so lively and even a bit "Broadway" it may be a bit wrong but dull it isn't.
It's not wrong at all!
Seeing this video was up, I pulled out the recording, which I have not heard in years. Karajan at his peak, consistently excellent soloists and chorus, and the recorded sound vastly better than his remake. A classic.
My first Creation was, surprisingly enough, Doráti's. For some reason it was available in the Hungarian shop in Prague even in the communist time... I believe it was quite good, too...
It is. Dorati always had a special affinity for Haydn.
I would love to see a video on the Nelson Mass. My guess is that Pinnock is the reference, but I would be curious to know your impressions of earlier recordings-e.g., the Willcocks from '62, Ferencsik on DG in (I think?) '67, Bernstein.
It seems any recording that included Fritz Wunderlich automatically had a leg up for becoming the reference recording. I know that's a wild overstatement, so don't bother correcting me. 😆 Which raises my question: Bohm's recording of Wozzeck on DGG: reference?
My favorite recording of Smetana's Bartered Bride, if not a reference, is Wunderlich's on EMI even if it is a "Verkaufte Braut" and not a "Prodana Nevesta."
Talk about serendipity...I just picked this up last week! At least I know I got the right recording!
I knew this one was coming 😁
very fine cover artwork to boot. Assuming this was the original cover.
The London Symphonies... Jochum or Colin Davis as the reference recording?
My guess for the reference recording of Haydn's London symphonies is Colin Davis/Concertgebouw.
I would say Eugen Jochum with the London Philharmonic.
@@twwc960if they were complete, 100% Szell 😉 (and deservedly so!), but they are not...so I think too they are the Davis ones.
@@francescofurlan3098 No question that Szell was a great Haydn interpreter. He was one of those rare conductors who understood the difference between Haydn and Mozart and did both superbly.
@@twwc960 you are perfectly right! 👍🏻
Bohm/Vienna for The Seasons?
I'm very fond of the Colin Davis one in English. We're it not for the fact that he makes too many cuts, I'd also say the Beecham. But not as a reference. I'm not sure it has one. On period instruments, the Rene Jacobs set is a stunner.
Why do you keep repeating this bizarre claim that Karajan didn't like choruses? True, his choral repertoire wasn't huge, but when it comes to his 4 signature choral works - Mozart, Verdi & Brahms requiems and the Missa Solemnis he kept doing them over and over again both in studio and live throughout his entire career (and the list of choral works he's done at least once in studio is not inconsiderable either). It would be a pretty strange thing to do for someone who hated the chorus, don't you think?
No. The evidence is plainly audible.
@DavesClassicalGuide I don't think "the evidence is plainly audible..." is a particularly valid response, because if someone disagrees, that in itself suggests that "the evidence" is merely subjectively "audible". I think a little more precision is required than a retort that amounts to little more than 'use your ears and you'll see I'm right.'
Good choice, but I would have thought Böhm.
Bohm did The Seasons.
@@DavesClassicalGuide My bad.
I am always disappointed by Karajan in Mozart, except in the operas--including his late Giovanni where his conducting seems dramatic and responsive. Maybe he was in operatic rather than religious mode for this. It has a lot of the same punch.
C min mass really amazing
@@IP-zv1ih I will revisit that recording; I haven't heard it in a long time. Thanks for reminding me.